UPDATE 1-Democrats call for U.S. labor chief to resign over Epstein deal

U.S. Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday called for Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta to resign amid renewed concerns over his handling of sex abuse charges against wealthy U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others said Acosta must step down after new federal sex trafficking charges against Epstein this week raised new questions about Acosta's handling of a related federal case in Florida in 2008. "I am calling on Secretary Acosta to resign," Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor. "It is now impossible for anyone to have confidence in Secretary Acosta's ability to lead the Department of Labor."

"If he refuses to resign, President Trump should fire him," Schumer added. In a late-Monday tweet Pelosi said: "As US Attorney, he engaged in an unconscionable agreement w/ Jeffrey Epstein kept secret from courageous, young victims preventing them from seeking justice."

White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway called Epstein's alleged crimes "disgusting," but told reporters on Tuesday that Acosta was "doing a great job." "The president obviously wasn't involved in the case, didn't know Acosta at the time and didn't follow the case very closely," she added.

Representatives for Acosta did not respond to a request for comment. On Monday, U.S. prosecutors in New York accused Epstein, 66, of sex trafficking in an indictment that detailed how he lured dozens of girls, some as young as 14, to his luxury homes and coerced them into performing sex acts. Epstein has pleaded not guilty.